EAT THIS NOW: CITRUS

Lemons, blood oranges, mandarins, and more! These charmers can save every meal (yes, every meal)

Mar 12, 2023

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Hello!

Happy almost spring! Daylight savings and the dozens of birds singing outside my bedroom window the last few mornings tell me it is so. Still, we’re expecting snow (again!) tomorrow, so until spring is real, I’m milking this season for all that it’s worth.

Without a doubt, the best thing to me about winter is citrus. Half a grapefruit at breakfast every morning, mandarins and clementines by the bushel, and lemon juice on everything—is what gets me through to the bitter end, which, in my neck of the woods, could be mid-April, or even early May (we’ve been known to have a frost as late as Mother’s day).

If you’ve ever found a green, fuzzy lemon rotting in your produce drawer, keep reading. That won’t happen again on my watch.

Citrus fruits are the hero of so many of our favorite sweets: Lemon Polenta Cake or Semolina Almond Lemon Cake (a good bet for coming spring feasts), Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, and this Baked Lemon Pudding that everyone’s raving about (trying it!). Americans love their lemon bars and lemon loaves and lemon meringue and I get it—they’re a burst of sunshine when we need it most.

But I’m here to remind you that lemons, oranges, blood oranges, limes, and other citrus are positively hard-working, if not downright genius at dinner time, too. In fact, if I had to choose between cooking with herbs or cooking with citrus for the rest of my life, I’d pick citrus. They bring brightness to seafood, flavor, and tenderization to grilled or roasted meats, and juice and sweetness to salads of all kinds (see here, and here).

Share EDIBLE LIVING by Sarah Copeland

I never go a week without buying a bag of lemons and mandarins, and we use them down to the very last drop—rind, juice, flesh, and all—every time.

CITRUS: FACTS + NUTRITIONAL PROFILE
Nutritionally, citrus brings loads of Vitamin C—a fact most of us learned by age 5 (just one medium orange has all the Vitamin C you need, all day!). But they are also fiber-rich, low in calories, and fight against kidney stones. They are high in flavonoids known to fight against cancer (particularly esophageal, stomach, breast, and pancreatic cancers), they boost heart health, and are thought to protect your brain. Flavonoids in citrus have anti-inflammatory capabilities even thought to protect against deterioration of the nervous system. Even if just ONE of these powerful facts were true, they’d be worth eating.

If flavor is your big motivator, consider how often you find lemon or lime on the side of your dish in fine restaurants, or what they do to your cocktail or even a simple glass of water—the acid and brightness in a lemon alone can do wonders to change a dish or a drink!

This nourishing Lentil Soup from Instant Family Meals, for instance, would be just ok without the squeeze of lemon on top, but every dynamite flavor comes forward once you wield your reamer over the top. Roast chicken without a lemon stuffed in its cavity is like pizza without sauce. And can you imagine guacamole, pozole, or a taco—without lime? (BTW: try this Avocado Hummus Platter, as dinner…)

Citrus fruits are rich in fiber and vitamin C, low in calories, and high in flavonoids known to fight against cancer, boost heart health, and protect the nervous system.

In short—add your favorite citrus to almost any savory dish—except those loaded with cheese or dairy (hello, curdled milk)—and you’ll likely find it improved.

I’m going to be reminding you of this little fact in the weeks and recipes to come, recipes that help you straddle winter and spring. But let’s start with a Citrus Salad with Fennel and Pickled Peppers where citrus is the shining star, with a big bright bold burst of sunshine front and center on your plate. Use any combination of grapefruit, orange, blood orange, or mandarin you can find here. It’s the bits-and-pieces vibe that works, along with the depth you get from mixing sweeter citrus (mandarins and clementines) with those that are more bracing and bitter (blood orange, and grapefruit).

Throw in some tangy piparra peppers ( though any pickled peppers you like will work), shaved fennel, your best olive oil, and dill, and you have yourself a winning ticket that works with almost any meat or fish main course, and a crusty loaf of bread (bonus: you don’t even need to make a dressing here, the citrus will weep and blend with the oil to flavor itself).

Until the next time. Read on for the recipe, and tons more sweet and savory ideas to make with citrus until spring comes to stay.

Sarah

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CITRUS AND FENNEL SALAD WITH PICKLED PEPPERS AND DILL

This is the easiest, no-recipe recipe to keep in your back pocket. Think of this more as a nudge to eat more citrus in its raw and vibrant state. Any combination of citrus will work here. Vary the shape, size, and color as you’re inspired, keeping a balance between sweeter and more bitter varieties. (Halve or double as needed).

1 large or 2 medium pink grapefruit

2 to 3 small blood oranges (optional)*

1 to 2 medium navel or cara cara oranges

4 to 6 small mandarins, clementines or satsumas

1/2 small bulb fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced

1/3 cup small pickled peppers such as Piparras (Basque/Spanish Peppers)

3 to 4 tablespoons high-quality extra virgin olive oil (finishing oil)

Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)

Freshly ground black pepper

Torn or chopped dill, parsley, fennel fronds or a combination

Wash all the citrus. Using a very sharp knife, cut the top and bottom off of each fruit to create a flat surface (keep the rinds to squeeze out any juice before discarding). Shave away the skin and rind of each fruit, working around the curve, leaving the whole fruit and flesh intact. Cut each fruit crosswise into thin rounds. Layer on a large platter or plate. Squeeze any remaining juices from the skin/rinds over the fruit.

Sprinkle the fennel over the fruit, along with the peppers and a small drizzle of pickling liquid (about 2 teaspoons). Season well with flaky salt and pepper. Drizzle generously with olive oil and scatter the herbs over the top. Serve immediately, or leave at room temperature to marinate up to 1 hour.

PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES // SERVES 4